Some Nights ( Tony Stark x adoption fanfiction)

Keep it a secret

Tony's P.O.V.

No one has been the same since the children had died, and we were afraid who would tell Mishal the news. I haven't slept in a couple of days, and it's been a week since then. Peter went back to May as the school came around, and it must've been hard to tell May what was happening with the neighbour that she thought was normal. Steve has been running for longer in the mornings, and Thor hasn't been back from Asgard. Natasha is always in the training room, and Clint went back to his family for a small period. Bruce hasn't stopped working since they died either. And Pepper had been coming over to cook dinner for everyone, checking up on me regularly. Maybe we would be lucky if she didn't wake up for a while so that we'd be in a better mindset.
"Tony"? I hummed in response. She came over and rubbed my back.

"Something wrong Pep"? She was silent for a little bit.

"It's time you asked yourself that Tony," she said soothingly placing my coffee on the table.

"Yea Pep, maybe it is time to figure this out... I'll host a meeting". I said, rubbing my temples, and we hadn't gone through her injury report yet, that would be another hurdle to climb over.

"Shall I go call them down?" She asked quietly.

"No, ask Friday... Please stay with me, Pepper. I didn't think that it would affect me this much because look at me, I barely care about a lot... after you know. And then, I don't know them so well, but the innocence and kindness they portrayed towards us! I don't get it Pep! Why couldn't I do something earlier! If you look at that girl on the table, how horrible she looks. Fuck I don't know anymore" I said trying to breathe, ugh not this again, why does this have to happen to me I'm fine, I'm fine.
"Tony, Tony. Look at me and watch my breathing" Pepper said. I tried to copy her but I couldn't. My eyes searched her face blinking rapidly, I looked around the room trying to focus on something, but I could barely do that.

"No, Tony look at my eyes, we are going to breathe together," Pepper said as she inhaled the exhaled, I tried to do the same and slowly and surely it worked.

"Tony"... everyone said, looking at me.

"I'm okay, I'm okay, let's get this meeting together," I said while Pepper helped me to a chair.

"Take a seat" I waved around my lab, everyone glanced around, and I guess they noticed all the destructive behaviours I had and the broken things that laid all over the floor. Should I be ashamed? Nope, this is my house!

"Okay, so everyone is here except Peter, but I'll fill him in on the weekend. So, I've thought about when Mishal wakes up, which one of us will adopt her or we can adopt her as a whole uh as Avengers. What do you think"? I looked around seeing everyone's expressions; I guess they had made up their minds about that.

"Okay, next. So once Mishal recovers we all have to rotate on suicide and self-harm watch, do you guys realise this..?" I said, slowly letting it sink in, I wave at Bruce to carry on.

"Okay, so um we're going to go over her injuries so that we can all be informed about what she will need for the next few months. Some burns have caused disfiguration on her face and arms, so she'll be insecure about that." He sighed the took a deep breath.

"We'll start with her burns, whoever is on the watch will help Mishal change bandages, remember to keep your expressions under control..." He ran his hand through his hair.
"A broken femur. Mishal can't see out of her left eye anymore, because of the burn on her face. There are second and third-degree burns all over her back. Penetration tears, a concussion, the hip dislocation seems much better now, she might have to practice walking. There are thousands of self-inflicted scars and some wounds relating to that. Her father seemed to like cutting words into her body so when you see those try not to stare, there's actually so much, but that's whats recent. Also we uh... have removed her overies". Bruce let that sink in.

"What why!? How are we going to explain that to her on top of her children dying?!?"

"My children... are what?" Everyone snapped their head towards the door.

"Mishal... what, Friday why didn't you alert us!" I said, looking at her wide-eyed.

"I... told her not too. No one was in the room, I-I I got scared and pulled things out, Friday said you're all here ... and then Dr Banner said... you said" She collapsed unable to finish her sentence, before hitting the ground Nat caught her and bruce ran to her getting Clint to carry her back.

"Now what?" I asked everyone.

"We should adopt her as a group, it'll be easier to look after her that way. Or maybe you should adopt her Tony, this is your home and she cant call all of us dad and mom, you know?" Steve said, rationalising out loud.

"Tony, he's right, you should adopt Mishal yourself. I'm okay with it" Pepper said, nudging me.

"Alright, I get your point. But would Mishal accept that?" I sighed sliding down to the floor.

"Well, I know what to do. Remember what Banner tried to brief us on, just try to follow that and maybe we can get over the hurdle if not then were going to lose another life." Everyone looked at each other, then dismissed from the lab with determination returning to their faces.

"Pepper, can you come with me to sign papers or at least help me too"I pleaded. Pep nodded, grabbing my hand and leading me out of here.

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Alrighty, I'll most likely be uploading in the weekends because of Uni. But I'll try my best not to miss a weekend! Thank you for the votes and just generally reading my story, any tips then send me a message or if you want to add anything I'm open to it!

Enjoy your day - Marelyn